Rec on Rec fishing...

[reds]

Originally Posted by B-Faithful

NJ Anglers are allowed to keep up to 3 fish per angler over 28" with a trophy tag. (of course they have gamefish-only status for striped bass)

Here is a NJ limit!



Reds, Mass had a bill to make striped bass a gamefish this year too.

Look at the numbers and sizes of rec fish caught in Mass, they lead the states in big fish caught.

NJ's bonus rec fish is counted against the total Striped Bass commercial quota, even though there is no commercial harvest in NJ.

Anyway, my first post in this thread had nothing to do with commercial harvest.

There is a very, very large contingent of recreational fisherman who don't want to see the spring season bothered. And I don't mean charter people.

[drichitt]

Originally Posted by reds

There is a very, very large contingent of recreational fisherman who don't want to see the spring season bothered. And I don't mean charter people.

Reds - The ball started rolling against the rec angler when DNR put in the PSCR restrictions. Most of us have been predicting that those restrictions would find their way into the Trophy season, especially since so few people showed up to fight the DNR and their total lack of scientific data to support the proposed PSCR restrictions. DNR only looked into the whole PSCR issue because of complaints about increased effort. The next shoe to fall will be an attempt to decrease a perceived 'increase in effort' by trollers using 'too many rods' in their spreads. DNR reacts to complaints and the complaints starting to show up in the DNR inbox is that trollers are the problem because they use too many rods. As mentioned by Greg, DNR is starting to collect the data now. They will massage this data, just like they do with the MRFSS data, to support their next proposal. History is getting ready to repeat itself. I hope that 'large contingent' you refer to will be willing to sacrifice a little of their precious time and show up at some DNR meetings....Don

[reds]

Originally Posted by drichitt

Reds - The ball started rolling against the rec angler when DNR put in the PSCR restrictions. Most of us have been predicting that those restrictions would find their way into the Trophy season, especially since so few people showed up to fight the DNR and their total lack of scientific data to support the proposed PSCR restrictions. DNR only looked into the whole PSCR issue because of complaints about increased effort. The next shoe to fall will be an attempt to decrease a perceived 'increase in effort' by trollers using 'too many rods' in their spreads. DNR reacts to complaints and the complaints starting to show up in the DNR inbox is that trollers are the problem because they use too many rods. As mentioned by Greg, DNR is starting to collect the data now. They will massage this data, just like they do with the MRFSS data, to support their next proposal. History is getting ready to repeat itself. I hope that 'large contingent' you refer to will be willing to sacrifice a little of their precious time and show up at some DNR meetings....Don

Wrong. The problem started when the pictures were posted on TF of the bloody fish before the season started. Those pictures made their way up the coast on every fishing forum there is.

[B-Faithful]

Here is how I see it. If our trophy season gets further restrictions it will be based on the fact that we landed so many fish. Last trophy season we landed over 90k fish vs the 35k the year before. Unfortunately some were/are were trying to make preseason catch and release the red herring. However that doesnt change our harvest numbers from last year. Our exceptionally high harvest numbers from last year were said to be a result of more fishable days due to weather, increased angler participation, an increase in angler efficiency, and 28" and up without a no-take slot limit as compared to a few of the previous years. DNR will be looking at this trophy season closely. I will be curious to see how those numbers come in as opening weekend was very windy, this weekend is rainy and the reports have been bad for fishing, and it is supposed to rain the next several days. As stated earlier in this thread, if reductions are deemed necessary, which I think the could be given the signs out there, that size limits are looked at first instead of regulations that reduce efficiency (ones chance at catching fish).

I swore and swore I would not get drawn back into this BS, but at least it is moving more towards a conservation conversation...so why do I keep reading about the increased recreational harvest but I am sitting here reading an article in saltwater sportsman showing data presented to the ASMFC showing how the combined recreational harvest and discards moved froma total of 79% of the catch in 2006 to 49% in 2009...commercial harvest and by catch moved from 21% in 2006 to 51% in 2009...yet people keep saying increased recreational harvest...

WHO IS WRONG HERE??? The article is obviously on the recreational side, showing how despite the dramatic increase in commercial %s over the last 3 years they voted to increase commercial quota? why are arguing back and forth in these stupid arguments???

and Reds, yes, it did start from photos posted on TF...I talked to a few charters who said they personally were keeping a log of Skips posts and using them to start the ball rolling to shut down pre season C&R..they specifically mentioned him, and specifically said he was the reason...I told Skip about this a long time ago and sure enough it came to fruition. It started as a vendetta and grew and grew...I'm not saying it was the entire reason, but it had a lot to do with it...

[reeltor]

Mark,
I was asking myself the same question. Baffling

Originally Posted by reeltor

Mark,
I was asking myself the same question. Baffling

Paul,
I think there is a happy medium somewhere...but it goes to show that statistics were altered during the process to specifically attempt to completely shut down a rec fishery and then they vote to increase commercial quotas!!!

Very interesting...ok back to hiding

[reeltor]

I get the fact that data can be construed to your advantage, but if you can't trust DNR, MRFSS or the ASMFC (pick your fisheries management group), who can you trust

[crabby and son]

Originally Posted by reeltor

I get the fact that data can be construed to your advantage, but if you can't trust DNR, MRFSS or the ASMFC (pick your fisheries management group), who can you trust

You can trust me Paul...............Gary

[Mikie]

I have been telling you guys that we were at the top of the curve with the best/easiest CATCHING in my lifetime (I've been fishing in the Bay for over 50 years). It was inevitable that it would peak and start to decline. Now that everybody can't go out and catch 10-15 big fish everyday, the sky is falling. You should remember the last couple of years, they may be the best you will experience in your lifetime. That's why it's "fishing", not "catching".